Improvement in preserving sweet potatoes



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HEDcEMoN 'r. Basra, or DYEESBUEG, TENNESSEE.

Letters Patent No. 110,108, dated December 13A, 1870.

IMPROVEMENT IN PRESERVING SAWEET POTATOES.

The Schedule referred to in these L'ettersPatent and making part oi the same.

To all fwhogn 'it may concern Be it known that I, HEDGEMON T. Basra, of Dyersburg, in the county-ofDyer and State. of Tennessee, have invented a new and uset'ul Method of Prcserving Sweet Potatoes; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference-being had lo the accompanying drawing-which represents the means for carrying out said method, and in which- .Figure 1 represents a rertical longitudinal section of a bin, constructed for keeping sweet potatoes, embracing my improvements.

Egure 2 represents a vertical section; and

Figure 2 3, a horizontal section of the same.

v My invention relates to preserving sweet potatoes;

i and- A It consists in constructing a bin for ,that purpose,

composed of a slatted crib for receiving the potatoes,r

andan iuclosing case having air and division-chambers for separating and protectiug'theslatted crib from the intluences of the elements, while the receivingcrb is surrounded with an air-chamber with. which it is in communication through the spaces'between the slats, so that thc potatoes in the crib are kept perfectly dry,not` only from .dampness outside, but, by means ot' the dry-air chamber with which it 'communicates, all .the watery matter expelled from the potatoes by shrinkage will pass therefrom through the spaces in the crib, and he absorbed by the dry air around the crib.

'In the accompanying drawing- A representsl the crib, within which the potatoes are placed in layers of about ten inches deep, and separated by straw, to aid in absorbing the moisture e.\- pelled from the potatoes.

` lhis crib'i's open at its top, and made of slats, so as .to form open spaces, a, between said slats.

rlt issupportcdnponlegs, b, and placed within the inner chamber of the inclosing-mise B, so as to form an air-chamber,- c, entirely around it, and with which it communicates through the spaces o ofthe slats.

` The inclosing-case B has a width and depth of about three feet, and of any desirable length. lts inner crib compartment is surrounded, except at the top, by a closed-air-chamber, d, so as to insulate it from the outer case, and is supported by and between four posts, C, which alsoform'the supports for the outer ease B,

-which is also-surrounded at its sides andends by `another closed chamber, c.

Between these air-chambers (l and e aseparatingchamber, D, is'arranged varound the sides, ends, and bottom of the inner compartment. y

This separating-chamber D is filled with straw,

,sl1ucks, fodder', sawdust, or charcoal, which, in connectio'n with the closed air-chambers (l and c, maintains a uniform temperature within the cribA, and etfectuallyprevents the penetration ofdampness, keeping,r the potatoes perfectly dry.

The separating non-conducting chamber D' at the bottom of the bin `does not communicate with those', D, at the sides and ends, so that the dampness from the ground will not pass up aroundt-he inner air-charnber. A space, j, is left between the lower chamber D' and the ground, to keep the bottom floor dry.

The bin has acover, E, which is provided with one or more pipes, F, to allow the dampness which rises from the potatoes to pass out from. theNcri-b an'd airchamber.

'lhe potatoes are always kept well covered with straw, and the top boards of the case B are removed to get at 'the potatoes. The outer case of the crib A rises above thelatter, and is 'also covered with boards to turn the rain, leaving a space above the top of the crib which is tilled with earth so as to render the top water-tight, leaving only the opening in the pipe F.

rlhe bin is cheaply constructed of'boards, and the crib of slats, and 1 have kept potatoes in this way from one season to another-perfectly souncliand dry.

Having described my invention,

1-. The combination of an inner crib, A, of slats and spaces a, wit-h an inclosingcase,.B, having a com-municating air-chamber, c, between them, in the manner andfor the purpose herein described.

2. In combil'iatiou with an inner crib, A, ot' slats and .spaces a, and a surrounding communicating chan-1- ber, c, an inclosing-ca`se, B, having au inner and an outlet air-chamber, d and c, and a separating non conducting chamber, 1)', in the mannerl and for the purpose herein described.

In testimony whereof, I have hereto set my name.

HEDGEMON T. BASYE.

`ritne'ssesz A. E. I-I. JOHNSON, T. H. 'Urrnmram 

